HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
CABINET
WEDNESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2008 AT 2.00 p.m.
COUNTY COUNCIL
TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2008 AT 10.30am
STANSTED AIRPORT: GENERATION 2 AIRPORT PROJECT –
OBJECTION TO STANSTED RAIL IMPROVEMENT ORDER
Report of the Director of Environment
Author: Steve Bailes Tel: 01992 556293
Executive Member:- Derrick Ashley
1. Purpose of report
To seek approval from the Cabinet and County Council to object to the Transport and Works Act 1992 – Stansted Rail Improvement Order (the Order).
2. Summary
The Stansted Second Runway project (G2) has been called in by the Secretary of State for a Public Inquiry in 2009. The proposal by BAA is in line with the Government’s airport policy strategy set out in the 2003 Air Transport White Paper but this county, together with Essex, East Herts and Uttlesford, has always opposed the strategy including any new runways at Stansted.
The Cabinet at its meeting on 22 September 2008 resolved that HCC should continue its opposition and take part in the Inquiry.
Along with the planning applications for the runway and associated works the Inquiry will consider this Order and other draft orders for airport access from the proposed M11 motorway Junction 8b and the proposed new junction from the A120 trunk road.
A letter of objection to the Order, and the other draft orders, has already been submitted on behalf of the County Council However for the County Council’s objection to the Order to be valid it must be approved at a meeting of the County Council.
Central to the objection is that the proposed rail services for G2 require a major expansion to the West Anglia Line between Tottenham Hale and Cheshunt where there are serious capacity constraints at present. The application as it stands would be insufficient to meet the needs of the overall G2 proposal. A copy of the letter is attached at Appendix A.
3. Recommendation
That the objection to the Stansted Rail Improvement Order as set out in the letter at Appendix A be approved.
4. Background
Stansted Airport handled 23 million passengers in the last 12 months having handled nearly 24 million passengers in 2007. The current planning permission allows up to 25 million passengers per annum (mppa) on the one runway.
BAA, the owners of Stansted, submitted an application for the full use of the existing runway (the G1 Development) in 2006. This was considered at a Public Inquiry in summer 2007 and the decision, that the application be permitted, announced in October this year.
The new applications for a second runway with a stated capacity of 68 mppa were submitted to Uttlesford District Council in March/April of this year. Both the G1 and the G2 proposals are in line with the 2003 Air Transport White Paper strategy. The G2 applications were called in by the Secretary of State in July, and a Public Inquiry will be held in April 2009.
All the issues associated with the Order, the draft road orders and the planning applications will be considered as part of the Inquiry process anticipated to last for about 9 months.
5. Transport and Work Act Order
In addition to the planning applications for the development of the Second Runway at Stansted Airport, the facilitating Transport and Works Act (TWA) Orders for on site rail infrastructure and the M11/A120 draft Road Orders, were also deposited. These are subject to different approval processes to the planning applications. This report deals specifically with the Rail Improvement Order.
The Order is for a new (a second) airport rail tunnel and a new platform (platform 4) at the station to increase the capacity of the airport site to handle rail traffic. It does not address the capacity limitations of the West Anglia Mainline.
The letter of objection already submitted as part of the application process, details the reasons for the County Council’s objections. The prime reason is the Council’s long standing opposition to a Stansted second runway and the objections make it quite clear that any comments need to be considered in the light of that position. Concerns are also raised about the deliverability of the necessary associated rail infrastructure not part of the TWA.
6. Next Steps and Timetable
Cabinet resolved at its meeting on 22 September to object to the Stansted second runway proposal and for the County Council to work with its colleague authorities to appear at the Public Inquiry. The Inquiry is scheduled to commence in April 2009 with Ministers expected to reach a decision in late 2010/2011.
7. Legal Implications
It is a requirement of section 239 of the Local Government Act 1972 that a resolution of the County Council is needed for the Council to object to a proposed statutory instrument, and public notice must be given that this matter is to be considered. The required public notice has been given for the 25 November 2008 meeting of the County Council.
8. Finance and Resources Implications
The objection to the Order will not add to the costs of the County Council over and above the costs of fighting the Stansted second runway proposal as the forthcoming Inquiry will deal with the transport and planning issues as one. Hertfordshire CC is working jointly with Essex CC, Uttlesford and East Herts District Councils on a single integrated case.
Background papers
Stansted Generation 2 Planning Application and associated; Environmental Statement 2008; 34 Applications by BAA for G2 2008; Highways Agency Order Stansted Airport 2008; Transport and Works Act Order Stansted Airport 2008
Appendix A
Secretary of State for Transport County Hall
c/o TWA Orders Unit Pegs Lane
Department for Transport Hertford
9th Floor SG13 8DN
Southside Fax: 01992 588601
105 Victoria Street Telephone: 01992 556112
London SW1E 6DT Date: 20 June 2008
Dear Sir
Stansted Generation 2 Stansted Rail Improvement Order
On Site Railway Infrastructure
I write to inform you of Hertfordshire County Council’s views on Stansted Airport/BAA’s Transport and Works Act (TWA) application for on site railway infrastructure as part of the Surface Access Strategy for the Stansted G2 development proposal. This proposal is for a second runway and terminal plus other airport related facilities which will allow a significantly increased throughput at the airport.
Hertfordshire County Council would wish to make it clear that it is opposed to this development at Stansted Airport and that any comments on the TWA application should be read in this light.
The TWA application is for on site railway infrastructure, specifically a new railway tunnel and a fourth platform and associated facilities at the airport station. This infrastructure will allow significantly more trains per hour to access Stansted. The existing tunnel is limited to 6 trains per hour each way, currently 4 Stansted Expresses, 1 local train form the south and 1 from the north from Cambridge.
The proposed on site railway infrastructure the subject of the TWA application is to be built to serve the G2 proposal and the environmental assessment envisages completion in 2018. However the proposed rail services for G2 require a major expansion to the West Anglia Line between Tottenham Hale and Cheshunt where there are serious capacity constraints at present.
It is understood the G2 proposals intend that the new tracks in this area would be provided by Network Rail at the Department for Transport’s behest, possibly in the next decade (after 2010), but neither the timing of the provision nor the provision itself can be assured at the present time. The County Council would therefore object to the TWA application as it stands as it would be insufficient to meet the needs of the overall G2 proposal.
It is unclear whether BAA only intend to implement the on site infrastructure when and if the capacity of the West Anglia Line is expanded with new tracks. Hertfordshire County Council would support maximising the rail mode share of passengers and employees accessing Stansted and, if necessary for this, increasing the rail infrastructure capacity on the airport provided that the provision of rail services to the airport is not to the detriment of other non airport rail passengers.
The on site infrastructure would provide access benefits if it were installed in the near future in allowing more local trains to terminate at the airport improving access to local stations (the West Anglia capacity constraints are largely south of Broxbourne junction) and allowing more trains to Stansted from the north. Provision of the tunnel and station platform could bring benefits regardless of the timing of the provision of new rail capacity on the West Anglia Line provided the service pattern is not altered to the detriment of other users.
However it appears such improvements are not the intention even as part of the G2 development. The project objectives (4.3 Stansted Rail Improvement Order Design and Access Statement) only look to maintain journey opportunities between Harlow and Bishops Stortford and the airport and to maintain airport journey times. There is no intention to improve local access which is regrettable.
The County Council will make no comment at this time on the detail of the infrastructure to be provided. It is though concerned that the Environmental Statement does not make clear where the spoil from the excavation will be reused/disposed of.
It also notes the distance between the proposed new platform and the new exit to the railway station which is at the opposite end of the airport terminal. From the far end of a 12 car train to the existing terminal would be over 300 metres and to the proposed rail station exit at the end of the terminal over 500 metres.
While these distances may be adequate for passengers with luggage accessing the departure hall of the existing terminal the practicality of accessing the proposed new terminal a further 300 plus metres away must be assessed.
The County Council will be analysing the rail implications of the G2 planning application. Until then it wishes this response to be considered an objection not on the basis that it is opposed to the rail enhancement but that it seeks clarification on the intended timing of the implementation of the proposed rail infrastructure.
Yours faithfully
David Humby
Head of Transportation Planning & Policy
7 stansted rail improvement order 1